I'll go first. As you can see, it's not a photography competition...
My kit:
Pioneer PL-71 (Decca SG), NVA Phono 2, NVA TFS (forgot to turn it on to show off it's nifty blue legs in the 1st photo, they're glowing in the 2nd), NVA P90SA pre-, NVA TSS mk3 power-, NVA Cube 1 speakers (on oak stands), And TechniSat EmoticonsHD Freeview (not pictured) into Musical Fidelity A3 24 192k DAC and InFocus X9 720p DLP projector (not pictured).
Mainly top of the range NVA cables.
The audio part of the setup runs off a dedicated spur via a DIY mains Belden cable/unswitched mains block.
The kit sits on 18mm MDF shelves supported by heavy duty brackets mounted on the brick wall.
To coincide with the delivery of my new speakers I decided to take a few pickies and thought I would post the details of my system.
Speakers: ML3 Reference Amplifier's: 15W Leben CS300XS 8W Trafomatic Experience 2 SET 50W Audiosector Patek Amplifier USB DAC's: WFS DAC 2 (looking to replace it with a Killer) PDX with John Kenny Hiface Base Level Tranquility Tranquility Signature USB Cable: Essential USB Signature Computer: Mac Mini with software optimisations and Oyen Digital Firewire Drive Cables: Ribbontek interconnects and speaker cables
Here's mine - I try to keep my kit as unobtrusive as I can:
The last two pics are older but show the kit better. Funnily enough, for someone who enjoys looking at interesting systems I have ended up with a relatively boring looking rig, but then I have decided itneeds to disappear as much as possible.
When is someone going to post some nice valve amps & sculptured turntables? And Dave's monoblocks?
Well heres mine, I've designed the stands myself and am having them custom built. Should land in a week or two, they're cut and ready for assembly. Then of to be bead blasted and PP coated.
I'm not sure it's that simple from where I am at the moment - ie I'm not sure I want to put the time and effort into knocking down what I have and starting again, especially when some parts of the rig are so good, I don't have to think about them.
It dawned on my one day, that my 6 box system was worth quite a lot and my speakers were the weakest link, and the fact that all my listening was done via a HP laptop with optical out and a Micromega T-DAC, even though i had a LP12, Meridian 588 and a Cyrus Tuner.
So i sold everything. I also had a Sugden 2 box Phonostage Trichord Powerblok 500 and various cables, i actually made a profit at first!
Long time since i posted pics so heres hoping.........its not often you get a pretty valve amp but i like to think my Graaf GM50 is an exception. included a couple of shots of my beloved LP12 with Aro.
Right, here we go; Z coupler is a pure silver step up, phono stage is a diy John Linsley Hood with seperate PSU, Deck Garrard 401 restored and painted by yours truely, Valve amp is a 10 Watt EL34B I had imported. This will eventually get a slate chassis and component upgrade, There is also a plate amp driving the bass units on the open baffle Hawthorne speakers, the uper drivers are 10" coaxial units with treble units built in the centres. Tonearm is Northwest Analogue modified Audiomods. I have bead blasted the arm and re-wired with my own pure silver internally and my gold plated pure silver interconnect. Cartridge is a Supex SD900 Super, re-built by myself. Other stuff in pics include a Cambridge Audio 540 cinema amp, Sky HD box, PS3, Phillips dvd963se, Garrard 401 or 301 will soon get one of my slate plinths plus my new 12" unipivot arm( not ready yet). Every thing is wired up with my own cables, plus some Yamamura Churchill speaker cables. Think thats it........
I have become dimly aware of John Lindsley Hood in recent months, and the high regard he was held in. I believe there are even a few power amps around somewher.
Oh, I feel I can't be a proper audiophile without my own supersonic Z coupler - it sounds like something from a comic book!
LOL, the Z coupler is no longer made and almost impossible to find these days. I was lucky as an American dealer had the remaining NOS and was selling them of at bargain prices. The John Linsley Hood circuits are still available for diy'ers such as the phono stage, power supply, headphone amp, 15watt power amp etc, Or I can construct these if required. Thank you for the comments, I don't usually like reeling off the kit I have. This has taken some 25 years to obtain with many mistakes along the way.
Comments
My kit:
Pioneer PL-71 (Decca SG), NVA Phono 2, NVA TFS (forgot to turn it on to show off it's nifty blue legs in the 1st photo, they're glowing in the 2nd), NVA P90SA pre-, NVA TSS mk3 power-, NVA Cube 1 speakers (on oak stands), And TechniSat EmoticonsHD Freeview (not pictured) into Musical Fidelity
A3 24 192k DAC and InFocus X9 720p DLP projector (not pictured).
Mainly top of the range NVA cables.
The audio part of the setup runs off a dedicated spur via a DIY mains Belden cable/unswitched mains block.
The kit sits on 18mm MDF shelves supported by heavy duty brackets mounted on the brick wall.
Hi Guys
To coincide with the delivery of my new speakers I decided to take a few pickies and thought I would post the details of my system.
Speakers: ML3 Reference
Amplifier's: 15W Leben CS300XS
8W Trafomatic Experience 2 SET
50W Audiosector Patek Amplifier
USB DAC's: WFS DAC 2 (looking to replace it with a Killer)
PDX with John Kenny Hiface
Base Level Tranquility
Tranquility Signature
USB Cable: Essential USB Signature
Computer: Mac Mini with software optimisations and Oyen Digital Firewire Drive
Cables: Ribbontek interconnects and speaker cables
Here are some pictures of my system
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=album;id=7168
Thanks
Bill
The last two pics are older but show the kit better. Funnily enough, for someone who enjoys looking at interesting systems I have ended up with a relatively boring looking rig, but then I have decided itneeds to disappear as much as possible.
When is someone going to post some nice valve amps & sculptured turntables? And Dave's monoblocks?
Well heres mine, I've designed the stands myself and am having them custom built. Should land in a week or two, they're cut and ready for assembly. Then of to be bead blasted and PP coated.
Nice room Spacey - I love the lack of clutter with active systems.
I moved to this type of system back in 2008. Its allowed me to focus on my music collection instead of the toys required to play it.
It dawned on my one day, that my 6 box system was worth quite a lot and my speakers were the weakest link, and the fact that all my listening was done via a HP laptop with optical out and a Micromega T-DAC, even though i had a LP12, Meridian 588 and a Cyrus Tuner.
So i sold everything. I also had a Sugden 2 box Phonostage Trichord Powerblok 500 and various cables, i actually made a profit at first!
:-D
Deck Garrard 401 restored and painted by yours truely, Valve amp is a 10 Watt EL34B I had imported. This will eventually get a slate chassis and component upgrade, There is also a plate amp driving the bass units on the open baffle Hawthorne speakers, the uper drivers are 10" coaxial units with treble units built in the centres. Tonearm is Northwest Analogue modified Audiomods. I have bead blasted the arm and re-wired with my own pure silver internally and my gold plated pure silver interconnect. Cartridge is a Supex SD900 Super, re-built by myself. Other stuff in pics include a Cambridge Audio 540 cinema amp, Sky HD box, PS3, Phillips dvd963se, Garrard 401 or 301 will soon get one of my slate plinths plus my new 12" unipivot arm( not ready yet). Every thing is wired up with my own cables, plus some Yamamura Churchill speaker cables. Think thats it........
I have become dimly aware of John Lindsley Hood in recent months, and the high regard he was held in. I believe there are even a few power amps around somewher.
Oh, I feel I can't be a proper audiophile without my own supersonic Z coupler - it sounds like something from a comic book!
The John Linsley Hood circuits are still available for diy'ers such as the phono stage, power supply, headphone amp, 15watt power amp etc, Or I can construct these if required.
Thank you for the comments, I don't usually like reeling off the kit I have. This has taken some 25 years to obtain with many mistakes along the way.
This actual plinth is the one reviewed in this months HFW.
Just put them all in photobucket or summat, post a text link & me or Dave will do it for you.
:X